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Some SEO best practices are the same across all industries, such as avoiding Black Hat SEO tactics and developing quality content that targets keywords your prospects actually search for. But there are other SEO tips and techniques that are unique to different industries. Are there some SEO techniques that are especially good for lawyers and law firms?

Attorneys don’t need the same internet marketing techniques as, say, an ecommerce website. But since over 20% of all prospective clients in search of a lawyer start with a web search (according to Lawyernomics), SEO is important for lawyers who want to get the most new clients. So here are some of the most important SEO tactics an attorney or law firm can use for better search rankings and more clients.

Local SEO for Lawyers

Have you claimed your local listing in Google Places and other local directories yet? That’s a great place to start because it allows your law firm to appear in Google Maps and in the Google Local Carousel, and also gives you a better chance of ranking well in SERPs (search engine results pages).

Online marketing for the legal field is extremely competitive, but you have to do what you can to market to customers in your area, establish your law firm’s reputation and become known for what you do.

Especially if you live in a big city with a lot of local competitors, it can be difficult for you to rank well for keywords like “[Your City] Family Law Attorney” right off. The good news is that people trust someone who knows where they’re coming from, and the competition is less intense when you start with a more localized area that’s your own home turf.

Once you’re ranking well in your neighborhood, you can get more aggressive about trying to rank well for your whole city — and you’re more likely to succeed.

“Silo” Your Web Content by Practice Area

Potential clients who are looking for an attorney have very specific needs because of their unique legal situations. So for example, when they look for a personal injury attorney, they could be seeking a local lawyer who handles car accidents, bike accidents, defective products, medical malpractice or some other form of personal injury lawsuit.